One-uv-a-kind for sure

This cake required a special explanation 'key' to be more fully appreciated - so why not use it for the Can't-Be-Missed topper. Keli sold a cake for any occasion at a fund raising gala for Meridian school. The lady who bought it had a daughter going to a German mission which also included Austria and Bavaria. She wanted it for a special dinner. THAT's why each tier symbolizes the flags in her mission and the edelweiss on the top.

Very cool and interesting. Not likely to see one like this again.

Snooooo fun

Dump hill is still the best place for rip-roaring snow fun. Big kids, little kids and some still-kids-at heart.Ready for a blast.
Kyle is getting new life out of Jay's old sled.

Mark bails off in style - some kind of style anyway.

wipe out.

Mark tried to nail the photographer with an ice ball.

Sum'thin Special About Today

The Sum'thin Special is Someone Special - Annaleigh! She was our Happy New Year Baby when she was born - the first in our county. She came with prizes like diapers, water, car seat . . . But the best thing she came with was herself. Of all the things I hoped for in a daughter - she came (quoting 2 favorite authors) even "better than our dreams" with "smiles and joy of living". So, happy birthday to our jean lovin',
horseridin',
giddy-up-an'-goer, Big Kyle adorer, kind and thoughty, clever and sensitive, best-durn-homemaker, list maker, eye-poppin'-purdy RN, cowgirl in the West.

You are better than our dreams.

Happy Day today and all of 2010!

A Cool Family

The first order of business for 2010 - photograph a family about to send a missionary. These are 3 images from a frigid shoot.This handsome guy is . . . well . . . so handsome! Sisters. Wow. So pretty - each of them.

My dear friend Laurie and her whole crew! Caitlyn's heading for a mission. It was a privilege to capture a moment by photo before all the changes that a year and a half will bring.

Kudos to Brittani

I just got home from an amazing evening of children's Christmas music and dance theatre organized and taught by this beautiful and very talented Brittani. I sat in the back with the dearest Rebecca(s)- there were two of them there, and we oooo'd and aaaah'd the whole 2 hours! On a whim, I also took along my camera and biggest zooooooom lens we have. For those with an interest in photography, this is how I captured these images in a difficult lighting situation: I turned the ISO to 2500, flash off (of course, flash would be obnoxious and ineffective) and I was in Program AE mode ('P' in the creative zone), and held VERY steady (prop elbows firmly on person's shoulders in front of you if you are fairly good friends, otherwise do the best you can on your own, which is what I did). Then shoot it up and you might get a few out of a gazillion that you can then EDIT to your heart's content. I DID take images of my Anna and Abby neices and lots of friends and neighbors that were in it too. But, for now, this one of Brittani begged to be posted right away. I couldn't help myself. I mean, look at those eyes and clavical!

I thought I would be there by myself (Jay and Twins were heavily into a building project that would not wait), but I was lucky to meet up with Rebecca - also by herself - who said I was a great date. Fun evening, what talent.

A Little more Christmas

Here are a few more details of 'The Event'.A detail of the 'Christmas Wall of Fame'. This one is Bronwyn's I think.
Some of the details of the dining room have disappeared. There were candy canes in the glasses. The elves had second thoughts.

Is this really . . . no - nobody would be so tacky . . .

It is! A TP tree. There are no scruples when it comes to decorating 'cheap'. And anyway, there's always that fine line in art between whimsy and bad taste.

For a tin foil garland, take a long line of filament, tie one end around the middle of a 8 x 8 peice of slightly scrunched tin foil, finish scrunching. Repeat this step along the line and add a curly ribbon bow.

For lampshade covers, take off a shade and make a pattern (I used newsprint). Now cut as many as you need out of your favorite wrapping paper.

The master bedroom took on a little more dignity and reverence. The photograph over the bed is missing - try to imagine the most beautiful image of the Manti temple. Jay is a very fine photographer - his love is architecture, landscape, and cowboy life.

Dinner and a party calls, more to come later. Merry Christmas! Only 12 days away.

A Christmas Story

Our home was in Manti's Christmas Home Show this year. It's been days of fussing and fluffing (paper and pillows). Thanks to all my 'santas helpers'. You know who you are, and it just wouldn't have happened or been so fun if not for you. Here's a sample of what it looks like. Think red and lime green and black and white and Dr. Suess all over. Think Merry and Bright and disposable - that's what I was after. And on a shoestring if I could (and I did, basically because of slave labor earlier referred to as 'Santas helpers'.)

Gena's whimsical handwriting.
Candy trees. 1Cup sugar, 1/2 C cornsyrup, 1/2 C water, splash of vinegar (what does THAT do?) Bring to hard crack stage. Add coloring. Pour thin stream onto oil sprayed cookie sheet into shapes. I tried these trees, large and small dots, into a cookie cutter and crazy non-sensical, Seusical shapes. Not a project for kids!

But this is: These little nut cups that go over tree lights are folded in half 3 times. Cut a little scallop on the big end and a tiny snip on the point. Unfold and put over any of your lights. Mark and Kyle did great on this. Thanks Keli.

A puff and curly ribbon and flat sided marbles decked out three over-the-bar lights. You can get great instructions on how to make puffs from Martha Stewarts website.

Wall detail.

Crepe paper snow ball pile. I violated an idea from Martha Stewart - her tower was elegantly made with styrofoam balls covered in glass glitter. But that would have violated MY motto of CHEAP. I'm thinking we'll have a snowball fight with them when we're tired of looking at them.

Disposable chair backs. Double sided wrapping paper worked nicely.

This puff just got made and set there - nothing deliberate - but doesn't it look like the first course? It ended up staying there - deliberately.

A change of look in the twins bedroom and the rest of the house. But more later, I'm too tired to finish tonight.